Glengarry Bhoys

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Please improve this article if you can. (June 2006)

The Glengarry Bhoys. From left: Ziggy Leroux, Graham Smith, Miranda Mulholland, Graham Wright, and Ewan Brown.

The Glengarry Bhoys, founded in 1998, is a Celtic fusion band blending traditional Scottish and Irish music with modern Celtic and contemporary sounds. Initially called the Graham Wright Band, they changed their name to reflect their heritage and the place where they hail from: Glengarry County, Ontario, Canada. The band's original members were Graham Wright (lead vocals, guitars, tin whistle), Gaye Stuart "Ziggy" Leroux (vocals, drums, percussion, bodhran), Ewen McIntosh (bass, vocals) and Derek MacGregor (highland pipes, shuttle pipes, tin whistle).

Ewan and Derek left the band in 2000 and were replaced by a succession of pipers and bassists. In 2002 the band was expanded to include Shelley Downing on fiddle. A permanent bassist, Nigel "Gibby" Bazinet, and permanent piper, James Libbey (highland pipes, small pipes, whistles, keyboards, spoons, trumpet), were found and added to the line-up. In September of 2005, Downing, Libbey and Bazinet left the Glengarry Bhoys to pursue other interests. Downing was replaced by Miranda Mulholland (vocals, fiddle), Libbey was replaced with Ewan Brown (highland pipes, shuttle pipes, electric pipes, whistles and vocals) and Bazinet was replaced by Graham Smith (double bass, electric bass).

October 26, 2007 From David Tamulevich of The Roots Agency (via The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan http://theark.org):

"It saddens me to have to bring the following news. Co-founder and leader of The Glengarry Bhoys, Graham Wright, has been struggling with serious medical problems for some time now. His condition has worsened, which has worn him down to the point where he can no longer tour. On advice of his physicians, he is retiring from the band, with plans to rest and focus on his health.

The Glengarry Bhoys would obviously find it difficult to continue without Graham's creative and management leadership, therefore, the group has decided to disband, effective immediately. I am sure you will all join with The Roots Agency in extending to Graham, as well as all the members of the Glengarry Bhoys, your warmest wishes and prayers for healing."

In January 2008 the band announced that Graham was feeling better and was looking forward to touring. On March 28 the Glengarry Bhoys announced a limited return to the touring and have been updating tour dates on their website.